I'm tried kde3-cvs from the 11/03/2001.
There are some apps like koncd, cervisia, kamera, ... that are included in this version. Also the multimedia part is improved but i didn't saw big changes in the UI part or the html render in konqueror :( Some websites are working great with Mozilla/Galeon but still crap with konqui :(
But I think that the real THING in kde3 is QT-3 which is very very nice.

Jean-Christophe

PS : I don't for others, but kde3 still slow on my machine. PIII 600 with 380Mo ram and Ultra160 disks ....

The big problem with KDE 3.0 in the users eyes will be that there will be no radical UI changes like there was from 1.0->2.0. The cool stuff is in the murky depths of KDE libs and in the back waters of KDE base. What we need is a way to animate some demos of things like printing, script automation, better JS support, accessing play objects via dcop, new text editing engine, graphical regular expression editor, smart card support, total rewrite of SSL and friends, and tons of other little tweaks.

Maby we should try not to got the slushdot route and post pretty screen shots but spend a day showing off how awesome the new JS engine is? Or how the new dcop interfaces will help automation. Personally I really want to see Waldo's "turn off desktop" feature in action... I know it is hard to do these things without pictures but I have faith in our people here at the dot :)

So I hope I did not offend any the the theme and style guys, but really lets talk about what is beneath the surface of KDE. I am sure 3.1 will look much prettier, but there will be less radical library changes.

Mandrake has put together a fairly effective way of presenting features through a series of animated gifs. Are there other similar sites that demonstrate a sequence of events to provide a strong end-user feel for a set of features? Please provide links if you find something...

Well, maybe someone needs to write a demo that uses JavaScript and DCOP to script the new text editor with user-editable regular expressions while playing sounds and opening a Konqeror window on a SSL site with smart card authentication and printing the page :-)

KDE has a lot of good hackers but not Stylers. THat is what i missing on KDE a good default Style. Like Gnome or Aqua. HOW helps me a new SSL or libs for a UI my eyes like to see wonderful, beautiful and Stylieee buttons - icons and not new SSL.

Talking about the "in depth" stuff. What about kerberosV and acl support ?
Well, and LDAP support for the system addressbook ?

And, finally, what about "Group Policies" (sorry for that windows terms) - but, to restrict the desktop for certain groups (network wide) ?
Like disallowing to view dotted files or change theme for that "corporate identity" stuff.

What about abstracting konqueror a bit from the file system ? While KDE using "Unix Gurus" will hate me for that, but, a secretary does not need to know about /etc, /bin, etc. It would be enough for her to see her home share and the group shares she may access. Would be much less confusing. Take away the konsole from her group and thats it. Not for security, just for "useability".

You can already change Konqueror to do just that. For instance, you could make a view profile that automagically opens the dir 'my documents' - or whatever you want to call it. On the left side, you can build a sidebar that only shows 'my documents', 'my pictures' and 'my networkfiles'. Every program that you want to be available is added to the group 'secretary'. Place some clear links on his/her desktop, let him/her choose from a set of predefined wallpapers / styles and everyone is happy ;) I even dare to say that it would be easier to do in GNU/Linux / KDE than with some other large OS.

the aegypten project is working on an LDAP kioslave for use within KMail and elsewhere.

someone already mentioned that it is possible to make konqueror show only certain folders. in the new Sidebar there is one panel that shows only the home dir. since 98% of the time when using konqi as a file manager i am in my own files (i use the command line otherwise, usually) i have it showing only that panel. that may even be the default, i'm not sure.

I totally agree.
Although the slightly behind the scenes changes going on in KDE 3.0 are excelent and are the driving force behind KDE, I think it would be great to show how KDE 3 makes it so much easier to get things done in a better quiker way.

I think its good how KDE 3 is taking the opposite route to say windows XP which is a classic case of basically all the changes being in the UI area and very little changed behind the scenes.

Personally I would like to see screenshots of task automation, flexability, console replacing dialog boxes and the ability to easily customize everything from icons to scren resolution.

It was released on Monday. Now, distributors will make packages, and when they do, there will be an official release annoncement, and postings to here, slashdot, linuxtoday, etc.. and the crowds will be merry and all will be well.

ok so where can we get the tars? i'm in the process of building 2.2.1, and would love to scrap it and just get/build 2.2.2. i checked ftp.kde.org, and there's a 2.2.2 directory, but nothing's there.???

Most of window decorations are ugly, especially window buttons ( maybe with exception of ModSystem and Laptop ). I see that the default wm decoration is still the same as in KDE 2.1 with the ugliest buttons of all, so I would like to know if this is only my opinion - Is there somebody who likes KDE window decorations ? Why KDE2 decoration was choosen as a default one ?

Nothing has been chosen yet. KDE 3 isn't due until February! There's at least one new window decoration in CVS now (glow, it's animated! Really cool :-), and of course you can use any IceWM theme you want. I'll be surprised if kbox doesn't make it in eventually also (at kde-look.org). There's plenty of time to change the default style, I don't think that the artists are affected by the freeze as much.

The Laptop decoration is not the most beautiful one, but it is very clear and useable. One suggestion for the other window decorations: It would be great to have a (global?) option for defining the button order in the title bar. I really prefer to have the close button on the left-hand-side of the window, isolated from the other buttons, but that is possible only with the Laptop decorations.

With the default KDE decorations, you can set the locations of all the buttons in kcontrol.. I have my close button on the left side too (Amiga-style. ;)), and I have turned off the sticky and menu buttons as I feel they have no use at all. I think all decorations should have these settings, wonder why they don't...

Having this slight "3D effekt" and I do like the round buttons. Or whatever. But no so boring and conserative as it is now.

P.S.: I definately would love to see a middle sized version of the "normal" sized and the the "small" sized taskbar. Latter one is too small, while the "normal" one is a bit too big. For my taste, that is.

check with cygwin. there's a kde 1.x port which seems to run under windows. i haven't tried it. there maybe a day when you can replace you windows desktop, but it's not quite there yet. under cygwin i think you run a kde on your desktop.